Belmond's Florence Grande Dame Unveils Radiant Refresh

Announced June 15, 2026, Belmond's Villa San Michele has unveiled its renewed splendor following an 18-month, top-to-toe refurbishment, according to Vogue. Perched in the hills of Fiesole, the property offers a serene antidote to Florence's intense summer crowds, echoing the sanctuary found in Boccaccio’s *Decameron*.

The journey from Florence's bustling Santa Maria Novella station to the tranquility of Fiesole is transformative, as a Vogue correspondent notes. The gradual ascent into the hills allows for a palpable deceleration of pace, culminating in the serene arrival at Villa San Michele.

The hotel, housed within a magnificent Renaissance villa, commands attention. Its façade is widely attributed to Michelangelo himself, lending an immediate sense of history and architectural gravitas. Before its current incarnation, the site served as a 15th-century monastery, chosen, perhaps, for its idyllic setting just 20 minutes from central Florence, yet seemingly a world away. Vogue recounts the peaceful sounds of rustling olive trees and birdsong, even mentioning the historical detail that Leonardo da Vinci reputedly studied birds of prey here, testing his early flying machines. It presents a quintessential Tuscan experience.